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Multiple Intelligences Action Research

Introduction

American schools have traditionally favored those students who excel in the linguistic and analytical arenas because these skills are highly valued in our culture. Unfortunately, this traditional approach leaves certain students behind to stumble blindly through an educational system that ignores their unique abilities. This action research study seeks to show that instructional activities that incorporate the multiple intelligences can improve students' attitudes toward learning and students' academic achievement in English class.

by Michele R. Acosta

Statement of the Problem

Many students in American schools are not reaching their full potential because they are less adept than their peers in the two traditional intelligences: verbal linguistic and logical-mathematical. This is not to say that the development of linguistic and analytical skills should be abandoned in favor of nontraditional approaches to education. Rather, traditional and nontraditional approaches should be combined to formulate a method of education that is best suited to the students who populate our classrooms. Smagorinsky (1991) says: "I don't suggest that we replace instruction in linguistic expression with the construction of meaning through other intelligences. Rather, I suggest that it serve as a complimentary means of expression" (p. 5).

The theory of multiple intelligences, developed by psychologist Howard Gardner (1983, 1995a, 1995b), offers a balance which teaches students what they need to know in order to be successful in our society in a way that compliments the unique abilities that each individual possesses. This study seeks to show that when the theory of multiple intelligences is applied effectively in the classroom, it can improve students' attitudes toward learning and students' academic achievement.

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The author is a writer, a former English teacher, and the mother of three boys. She spends her time writing and teaching others to write. Visit articles.TheWritingTutor.biz for more articles or TheWritingTutor.biz for other writing and educational resources for young authors, teachers, and parents. Visit writing_editing_service.TheWritingTutor.biz for a description of writing and editing services provided by the author.

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